Reminiscing - Babies and Blessings

Here is baby Jonah in the hospital. February 2004! Born in Worcester, MA.
Jonah's Blessing Day. April 2004. We were so happy to have Mom & Dad (Burton) and Tim (Alli's bro) & Kathryn visiting us! Earlier that week we'd driven down to see Tim graduate from college & be commissioned into the US Army in Virginia. Then we all drove back up to Mass. for Jonah's blessing. What a long but very cool week!!
This is Baby Merrik at home. March 2006. He always was a good sleeper. Born in Hartford, CT.
And Merrik's blessing day. April 2006. Left to right we have George & Claudia Burton (Alli's parents), Jared holding Merrik, Alli holding Jonah, Bill & Dolores Cowden (Jared's dad & step-mom), Paul (Jared's bro) in back, Kattie (J's sis) & Michelle (sis-in-law) in front of Paul, and on the right is Dick & Beverly Williams (Jared's grandparents). This was at the Springfield (MA) Ward chapel.

And baby makes 4! Our first family photo with the four of us.

Jonah (2), Alli, Jared, Merrik (1 month ... and sound asleep, of course!) April 2006 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Disney on Ice!!

Jared's brother gave us tickets to Disney on Ice for Christmas. What a great present - we had a great time!!! This was at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

(I'd asked the girl sitting in front of us - who I obviously didn't know - to take our pic while Jared had gone to get snacks... This is Jonah being shy because a cute teenage female stranger was looking at him - LOL! And Merrik apparently didn't want to give her the satisfaction of getting a smile out of him.)

Not a great pic, but here is Mickey, Minnie, Jiminey Cricket and I think Donald Duck on the ice.

I think this was part of the "It's a Small, Small World" finale. They had costumed skaters representing about 20 countries, along w/ all the Disney characters together on the ice. That's Goofy there in the spot light and Donald to his right.

Jared, Jonah, Alli & Merrik. Merrik spent the whole time on my lap, munching popcorn. I never knew a 2 year old could consume so much popcorn, but hey, whatever keeps him happy!

It was a fun trip! And Jared & I enjoyed it just as much as the kids! (THANKS PAUL!)

Christmas!

Christmas morning at home... Alli & Merrik. He's holding the favorite gift of the year - toy rifles - one for each of the boys - from Uncle Paul & Auntie Michelle. Oh yay...

(and I should probably clarify that that's a toy baby doll on my lap next to M)

Jonah & Jared playing with the Batman car. Look at all the surrounding aftermath. Love it!
Merrik & Jonah at Grandma & Grandpa Cowden's house later that day. The boys had about 4 "Christmases" what with visiting all the family members around here... the poor dears. :)

CHEESEballs. Merrik (2&3/4) and Jonah (4&3/4) in front of G'ma & G'pa Cowden's teeny weeny Christmas tree.

Kattie & the boys! (Jared's lil' sis)

Halloween (albeit a little late!)

"Trick or treat!" at Uncle Paul & Auntie Michelle's house in Connecticut! (Paul had to work)

Red Spidey Merrik, Black Spidey Jakey (cousin) & "S.W.A.T. guy" Jonah, (as he called himself)! We did our usual trick or treat run in Grandma & Grandpa Cowden's neighborhood in Oxford.

On the way home ... need I say more?!?
Yes, even a "S.W.A.T. guy" can only take so much. And they both slept a record 12 hours straight that night!! (almost typical for Merrik, but a small miracle for Jonah) Almost makes me wish Halloween came around more often!

Jonah's First Day of School!!

Even a rainy day still couldn't damper his spirits as Jonah started his first day of preschool! This was November 13th. PreK was full when we moved here in May so Jonah got put on the waiting list. They ended up calling to say they had a spot so ... TA-DA! We're all very excited.
What a cutie pie! He LOVES school!

Ramdom family photos (aka killing time indoors!)

Jonah is bustin' a serious move here. Dancing is a favorite indoor activity!
And Merrik has his own moves, too, of course!

Merrik riding the "horsey"!

Jonah's play-doh dinosaur. OK, I helped a little. (play-doh ... another fan favorite)

And the whole family - "say cheddar cheese!"

Jack-O-Lantern Time!

Better (posted) late than never, right?! This is the first year we carved pumpkins with the boys. And when I say "we" I mean Jared! The boys picked out the designs. He did a pirate skull and cross bones thing (on the left) and a witch's head/face. They looked really cool. (and they should've b/c it took forever)